Swiss Travel Pass for US citizens
 

I just got home from visiting a local travel agency and I'm scratching my head over what she told me regarding Swiss Travel Passes.

1) You can only purchase them in the USA before you arrive in Switzerland---and cannot purchase them once there? Is this true? We are planning on buying 15-day (consecutive) passes only---not a transfer ticket(s). I thought we could buy them at the Zurich Airport train station upon arrival if we wanted to. Am I wrong?

2) You MUST make seat reservations on ALL trains---either in the US before leaving or on each day of travel at the train station(s) in Switzerland----What? That doesn't make any sense? This cannot be true.

My husband & I plan on doing a lot of spontaneous "hopping on & off" of trains while visiting as many cities/locations as possible on our upcoming 12-day vacation (thinking of getting First Class passes----only about $500 more than 2nd Class). We arrive in Zurich (airport) on a Thursday @ 10:30 am. We'll make the (nearly) 3-hour train journey (via Lausanne) to Montreux where we'll spend 6 nights----planning lots of day trips from Montreux (including Golden Pass which I understand you need a reservation for First Class) and then traveling to Bern where we'll spend 5 nights----also planning lots of day trips from Bern.

Help!

you positively do NOT need to make reservations on trains at all. your travel agent does not know what they are talking about.

the only reservations I made (and I had a first class pass as well) was for the Golden Pass, and that was for the VIP tickets at the front of the car. the rest of the car was empty, I'm not sure one would have needed a reservation even for that.

this site has way more accurate information than your travel agent:
http://traintickets.myswitzerland.co...FUs7gQodwoME3g

Lots of wrong answers above. Go to the Swiss Fed Rwys site: www.sbb.ch/en and click on "Travelcards and Tickets"

You do not have to make seat reservations for every trip and in fact for trips which occur wholly within Switzerland you usually cannot even make them.

You can buy all sorts of Swiss passes once you get to Switzerland either at ticket windows or in travel "centers" at larger train stations.

If I'm traveling with a few friends, we occasionally make reservations for the four-seat "business" compartments in first class on the train from Lugano to Basel. And I have reserved seats on the most popular named trains like the Golden Pass and Bernina Express. Other than that, no.

Wow, did you ever get bad info - on both counts! Zurich airport is a great place to buy them. I did this last August and debated buying the Swiss Pass 2nd class or the discount pass. The choices are dizzying! We ended up buying the discount pass as we expected to hike much of the time but the rainiest summer in memory changed all that and we soon wished for the Swiss Pass.

Also, on almost every train First Class was practically empty some only half full, a couple of times we were allowed us to sit in FC without paying since SC was full!

If you simply want to enjoy all your train trips without worry and don't mind paying the extra, get a first class Swiss Pass.

Enjoy!

<<You can only purchase them in the USA before you arrive in Switzerland---and cannot purchase them once there? Is this true? >>

AFAIK, that's only true for Japan Rail passes (can buy voucher outside Japan, exchange pass upon arrival in Japan but cannot buy voucher in Japan).

Travel agents have to find ways to make money - including steering you to things that pay them a commission - and cost you more. Unless they are charging you an hourly rate as well. Then they just don't know what they are talking about.

NEVER deal with a travel agent who has not traveled to where you are going at least a couple of times - and even then usually easier to do it yourself.

Run, run away from this travel agent!

We always buy our Swiss passes once we arrive in Zurich.

We NEVER make reservations

We have never purchased First Class tickets, nor have we needed them. A complete waste of money IMO.

Just <i>another</i> reason to not use travel agents.

Some are good and know what they are talking about/doing -- but way too many are just computer operators/ticket sellers.

This one is amazingly incompetent . . .

Has this travel agent ever traveled to Switzerland? Her/his advice is so lamebrained as anyone can go on line and get real advice, just as you now have.

We have never bought 1st Class passes. Never seen the need. Swiss trains are wonderful. Never reserved seats as we have not gine on the "special" jouneys such as the Golden Pass.
I am am so glad you questioned this travel agent's advice and come to Fodors.

Hi Nine29,

Just adding my voice to all the others above -- your travel agent needs more training (or travelling!); you don't need reservations in most circumstances; you can buy your Swiss Pass in Switzerland at any major train station.

In fact, one of the sweetest memories of Switzerland is standing in line at the train station ticket counter and hearing the tourists in front of me get good advice from the ticket agent. The travellers would tell the agent their plans, and the agent would suggest which pass works best. I don't know why, but that always seemed sweet to me. So, yes, you can buy your Pass there in country.

You don't actually need reservations on the Golden Pass, especially not in first class. I've spent weeks in various towns along its route and have ridden on that train a few times every day and never had reservations. One time at lunchtime in August around Gstaad, the trains were so full that I had to stand for about 20 minutes until we got to a stop where lots of people got off. Other than that, I never had trouble finding a seat.

However, if you want to ride in the VIP seats at the very front or the very rear of the train, then, yes, reservations are necessary.

Have fun as you plan!

s

"You don't actually need reservations on the Golden Pass, especially not in first class."

We've had a slightly different experience. For the modern GP trains, we could get by without a reservation (although I tend to get one anyway or take one of the non-reserved regional trains). However, for the "traditional" GP trains, they have been mostly reserved in first class, at least the window seats. I guess visitors want to try out that old-timey decor.

I don't like the traditional trains as much as the more modern ones, so I'm happy to leave those to the visitors whenever possible.

WeisserTee -- One factor might be that I travel alone, and it's a little easier to find the stray single vacant seat than two or three. Plus -- I've found that each train has had a mix of modern and "classic" reproduction wagons, so it was easy to move through the wagons to find a vacant seat. Since I'm usually staying in the area for at least a week, it was never important to me to sit in the classic wagon.

s

I want to thank you all for taking the time to set the record straight. How unfortunate that an "International Specialist" (printed on the travel agent's business card---no joke) could be so wrong.

Now...back to planning that Switzerland trip!

Nine29 it didn't specify what she was an international specialist in, it certainly wasn't correct travel information, 30 seconds on the official Swiss Rail website would have told her.

I believe cheaper Swiss Passes for foreigners were only available outside of the country many years ago.

Except for the Glacier Express, there is no need to make reservations for any train within Switzerland.